Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Following a farewell ceremony at Malabo International Airport, Pope Leo XIV departed for Rome this afternoon on a six-hour flight. During the flight, he delivered a brief statement and took questions from reporters, weighing in on Iran, immigration, and blessings for same-sex couples (video).

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his final Mass in Africa this morning in a stadium in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea’s largest city, and highlighted the centrality of Sacred Scripture and the Holy Eucharist (video 1, video 2).

“For seven years, we have worked tirelessly for interreligious peace and continue to pursue transparency and truth,” Cardinal Ranjith said. “There were indications that behind the attacks were not only religious fanatics, but also politicians who wanted to sow chaos and ethnic and religious unrest through violence.”

“The current Sri Lankan government, which took office in 2024, has a more positive stance” toward “searching for the truth,” he added. “However, some officials of the so-called ‘deep state’ are trying to obstruct the smooth conduct of the investigation.”

Pope Leo XIV addressed young people gathered in a stadium in Bata, the largest city in Equatorial Guinea (map), and told them that “a life given to God is a happy life” (video 1, video 2).

One is a classical pianist who performed internationally; another, a worker in a liquor factory who sensed a call to the priesthood while attending a World Youth Day; another, a native of Cameroon who converted from Protestantism to Catholicism.